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White Hat Thinking

Neutral, objective information

Facts & Figures

Review existing information, search for gaps, analyse past trends

Questions:

What information do we have?

What information do we need?

What information is missing?

What questions do we need to ask?

Is it fact or belief?

Blue Hat Thinking

Control & organisation of thinking

Thinking about thinking

Instructions for thinking

The organisation of thinking

Discipline and focus

Red Hat Thinking

Emotions and feelings

Hunches, intuitions, impressions, gut instincts

Doesn't have to be logical or consistent

No justifications, reasons or basis

Consider how other people will react emotionally

Questions:

What is your gut reaction?

What is your opinion?

What emotions are involved?

Yellow Hat Thinking

Positive & speculative

Positive thinking, optimism, opportunity

Benefits

Best-case scenarios

Exploration

Questions:

What is the value/benefit of this idea?

What could be done to make this more effective?

Green Hat Thinking

New ideas, concepts, perceptions

Deliberate creation of new ideas

Alternatives and more alternatives

New approaches to problems

Creative & Lateral thinking

Questions

What are some fresh ideas?

What's a crazy, wild idea?

What else could it be?

Black Hat Thinking

Cautious and careful

Logical negative- why it won't work

Critical judgment, pessimistic view

Separate logical negative from emotional

Focus on errors, evidence, conclusions

Logical and truthful, but not necessarily fair

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